Closing The Gap is an on-going equity investment training and investor pitching session for film, TV, and transmedia producers%u2028offered by peacefulfish, the pan-European investor network Media Deals, and international tutors and investors. Launched in 2010, the program has trained over 100 international producers in collaboration with co-financing and co-hosting partners including the MEDIA Programme of the European Commission, the Apulia Film Commission, the Mallorca Film Commission, the Western Norway Film Commission, and the Investitionsbank Berlin. Of the projects that have taken part in Closing The Gap to date more than 30% have received investment or commitments of investment related to their participation in the program.

Project Details:

Closing the Gap - Equity Investment for 360° Content

Description

The Closing the Gap workshop offers capacity-building for producers, helping them to better understand the investment criteria and deal terms of different types of equity investors (venture capital funds, business angels, and business angel networks) developing strategies for pitching to these investors building added-value in projects through exploring their cross-platform potential.

The Closing the Gap process included:

a targeted call for project submissions, followed by an intense project scouting period to attract excellent projects with market potential;

After the application phase, an evaluation committee made up of participating investors and the regional partners selected the workshop participants;

All selected producers/project teams were then coached in a 6-week online session with the course tutors to more effectively understand the needs of the projects before the first on-site workshop;

two on-site workshops then focused on the interaction between the financing experts and the selected producers/transmedia projects, including case studies for transmedia business models and the equity investor landscape in relation to the film & TV industry.

Through the workshop, participants improved business plan development and gained a better understanding on equity investor types and deal terms.